Obsidian vs Workflowy: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Obsidian and Workflowy side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, Obsidian leads on lower entry price. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Obsidian
Private and flexible note-taking
Best for you if:
- • You want a free tier before you commit
Workflowy
A simpler way to organize your work
Best for you if:
- • You want simplifies organization by focusing on a single bullet list structure, reducing distractions from folders and documents
| At a Glance | Obsidian | Workflowy |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free plan, paid from $4/user/mo, billed monthly Sync plan | Free plan, paid from $8.99/mo, billed monthly Pro plan |
Category | Productivity Note-Taking | Note-Taking Productivity |
Rating | 4.5/5 G2 4.5 12 reviews | 4.6/5 Trustpilot 4.6 · G2 4.5 · Capterra 4.7 91 reviews |
Free plan | Yes | No |
Watch out for | Sync ($4-5/month) is almost mandatory for multi-device users. While you can use free alternatives (iCloud, Google Drive, Git), they introduce sync conflicts that Obsidian Sync solves with end-to-end encryption and proper conflict resolution. Most serious users end up paying for Sync | n/a |
Choose Obsidian or Workflowy?
Choose Obsidian if
- You want a free tier before you commit
- You want local-first privacy
- You want extensible plugins
- Budget matters ($4/user/mo, billed monthly vs $8.99/mo, billed monthly)
- You work in productivity, not note-taking
Choose Workflowy if
- You want simplifies organization by focusing on a single bullet list structure, reducing distractions from folders and documents
- You want offers cross-device synchronization for web, desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux), and mobile (iOS, Android) platforms
- You work in note-taking, not productivity
In-Depth Analysis
Obsidian
Private and flexible note-taking
Obsidian core app is genuinely free with no feature gating, every note-taking and knowledge management feature works without paying.
Watch out
Sync ($4-5/month) is almost mandatory for multi-device users. While you can use free alternatives (iCloud, Google Drive, Git), they introduce sync conflicts that Obsidian Sync solves with end-to-end encryption and proper conflict resolution. Most serious users end up paying for Sync
Strengths
- Pro: Local-first privacy
- Pro: Extensible plugins
- Pro: Graph view
Weaknesses
- Con: Sync costs extra
- Con: Steep learning curve
Key features
Workflowy
A simpler way to organize your work
Workflowy's pricing is fair, offering a generous free Basic tier with 250 bullets/month.
Strengths
- Pro: Simplifies organization by focusing on a single bullet list structure, reducing distractions from folders and documents.
- Pro: Offers cross-device synchronization for web, desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux), and mobile (iOS, Android) platforms.
- Pro: Provides a free tier with core features, making it accessible for casual users.
- Pro: Supports team collaboration with features like unlimited items, file uploads, and simplified administration.
- Pro: Includes advanced features for teams such as early access to Fractal Comments and Dropbox auto-backup.
Weaknesses
- Con: The free tier has a strict limit of 100 bullets per month, which can be restrictive for active users.
- Con: The free tier has a limited file upload capacity of 100MB.
- Con: Advanced collaboration features like Fractal Comments are only available with the Teams plan.
Key features
Plans and prices: Obsidian vs Workflowy
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Obsidian |
| obsidian.md/pricing read Oct 26, 2026 |
| Workflowy |
| workflowy.com/pricing read Nov 1, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Obsidian pricing and Workflowy pricing.
Key Takeaways
Obsidian
- Lower entry price: $4/user/mo, billed monthly vs $8.99/mo, billed monthly
Workflowy
- Choose if you want a simpler way to organize your work
What the data shows
On the data below, Obsidian leads on lower entry price. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- User ratings rest on too few reviews to rank (4.5/5 from 12 reviews for Obsidian, 4.6/5 from 91 reviews for Workflowy; we compare ratings only above 20 reviews on both sides).
- Obsidian has the lower entry price: $4/user/mo, billed monthly (Sync) against $8.99/mo, billed monthly (Pro) for Workflowy.
- Both have a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
What Users Say
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Obsidian and Workflowy compare in 2026?
On the data below, Obsidian leads on lower entry price. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. User ratings rest on too few reviews to rank (4.5/5 from 12 reviews for Obsidian, 4.6/5 from 91 reviews for Workflowy; we compare ratings only above 20 reviews on both sides). Obsidian has the lower entry price: $4/user/mo, billed monthly (Sync) against $8.99/mo, billed monthly (Pro) for Workflowy. Both have a free plan.
What are Obsidian and Workflowy used for?
Obsidian: Private and flexible note-taking. Workflowy: A simpler way to organize your work.
What does Obsidian cost vs Workflowy?
Obsidian's cheapest paid plan is Sync at $4/user/mo, billed monthly; it also has a free plan. Workflowy's cheapest paid plan is Pro at $8.99/mo, billed monthly. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Nov 1, 2026.
What's the main difference between Obsidian and Workflowy?
Obsidian's main strength: local-first privacy. Workflowy's main strength: simplifies organization by focusing on a single bullet list structure, reducing distractions from folders and documents.